what fear was. And you'll be another, my bonnie Allister, I hope," she
added, stroking the boy's hair.

Allister's face flushed with pleasure. It was long before he asked
another question.

"Well, as I say," resumed Kirsty, "the father of her was very angry,
and said she should never go and meet Allister again. But the girl
said she ought to go once and let him know why she could not come any
more; for she had no complaint to make of Allister; and she had agreed
to meet him on a certain day the week after; and there was no
post-office in those parts. And so she did meet him, and told him all
about it. And Allister said nothing much then. But next day he came
striding up to the cottage, at dinner-time, with his claymore
(_gladius major_) at one side, his dirk at the other, and his little
skene dubh (_black knife_) in his stocking. And he was grand to
see--such a big strong gentleman I And he came striding up to the
cottage where the shepherd was sitting at his dinner.

"'Angus MacQueen,' says he, 'I understand the kelpie in the pot has
been rude to your Nellie. I am going to kill him.' 'How will you do
that, sir?' said Angus, quite short, for he was the girl's father.
'Here's a claymore I could put in a peck,' said Allister, meaning it
was such good steel that he could bend it round till the hilt met the
point without breaking; 'and here's a shield made out of the hide of
old Rasay's black bull; and here's a dirk made of a foot and a half of
an old Andrew Ferrara; and here's a skene dubh that I'll drive through
your door, Mr. Angus. And so we're fitted, I hope.' 'Not at all,' said
Angus, who as I told you was a wise man and a knowing; 'not one bit,'
said Angus. 'The kelpie's hide is thicker than three bull-hides, and